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Bahrain: Women to get equal nationality rights

The agony of more than 2,000 families here with stateless children might be over soon with the decision of a state-run organisation to push for equal nationality rights for women and men.

The Supreme Council For Women (SCW) held a meeting with representatives from all women societies in the country last week and decided to push for the removal of a clause in the Convention for the Elimination of Discriminations Against Women (CEDAW), about giving the right to women to pass their nationality to their children of foreign fathers.

According to the nationality law, only men can pass their nationality to their children and wives, while female citizens are deprived of such privileges. If the government goes ahead with the SCW’s proposal then the law should be amended by the parliament.

Last month, Bahrain endorsed a law giving families of Bahraini mothers and foreign fathers equal treatments in terms of government fees and services, especially health and education.

This law ends years of struggle by those families, especially in issuing residence permits for husbands and children.

The move comes as part of Bahrain’s dedication to remove all observations on CEDAW to improve its image as a supporter of gender equality by empowering female citizens.